Academic freedom does not include lawful extramural speech at the University of New Hampshire

We mentioned this case last December, but now IHE reports that the chemistry professor involved has "resigned" in the wake of the university "investigation"; one doubts that was a voluntary decision.  (Oddly, they do not name the professor, although their prior coverage did.)   I cannot see how a public university would have any grounds for disciplining a professor for pseudonymous speech on matters of public concern; the professor's decision to adopt a persona not his own was meant to improve his standing to advance certain political and moral views, and so also constituted protected First Amendment expression.  (No state could make it unlawful to pretend to be a different race or gender for purposes of advocating positions on matters of public importance.)   I hope that F.I.R.E. is looking into this case and/or that the professor has legal representation.  Unless there is some unreported misconduct at issue, nothing in the public record can support lawful disciplinary or termination proceedings here.